Improved machine for capping tacks



-J. C. RHODES.

Capping Tacks.

. Reissued March 19, 1867.

n. mm. MW. Wain Dv c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE;

JOHN G. RHODES, or souru ABINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

- IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CAPPING TACKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,268, dated July 10, 18G6; Reissuc No. 2,521, dated March 19, 1867.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. RnoDEs, of South Abington, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Machine for (lapping Tacks, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The present invention relates to a new and improved machine intended more especially for the capping of tacks, nails, screw-heads, &c., or, in other words, covering them with'a metallic or other similar cover or cap, although it may beapplied to or used for other and various purposes, the said machine consisting First, of a frame arranged to revolve in a horizontal plane and carrying a series of movable vertical plungers and fixed dies, with the former directly above the latter in each case, in

' combination with a stationary or fixed cam, so

arranged with regard to the upper ends of the vertical plungers that as they in turn pass under the same they will be thereby forced or moved down upon the dies below,when, having passed by the said cam, they are thrown up or back to their original positions by spiral or other suitable springs properly arranged in connection 'with them therefor. The upper endss of the dies are hollowed out or made con cave, to receivethe heads of the tacks which are to be capped, the shanks of such tacks passing into openings in the center of the dies. Corresponding to the concavity of the dies, the end of the plungers which come in contact with them are hollowed out or made concave, with their edges rounded, as well also as those of the dies, so that when brought down and upon the tack-heads placed in the dies, together with the metallic or other cap or cover which is to be secured .upon them, they will so act upon such caps as to force or compress its edges around and over the edges of the head of the tack, nail, or other article, the peculiar form of the dies and plungers above stated forming the second part of my invention.

Third, in combining with the die made hollow or bored out in its center to receive the shank of the tack, nail, or other article which is to be capped a device so arranged within the center of the die and operated'at the proper time or times as to automatically throw out or discharge the tack, 8250., from the die after being capped'therein.

In the accompanying plate of drawings my improved machine for capping tacks, 850., is illustrated. I

Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. I

A in the drawings. represents a rotary frame composed of three circular wheels or plates, a Z) c, and a vertical shaft, d, arranged with respect to each other as shown. The journals of the shafts are sustained inboxes cc of a frame, 13, the whole being so that the said frame A may be capable of being revolved horizontallyabout the axis of its shaft.

The lower plate, 0, supports a series of fixed vertical dies, 0, arranged at equal distances apart. Each of these dies 0 is formed concave on its upper surface, as shown in section, Fig. 2, with a passage, f, leading from such concaveend down through the center ofthe dies, to receive the shank of the tacks placed upon the upperends of the dies with their heads up and in the concavity of such dies. In each of the said passages f is a clearer or discharger, g, for expelling the tacksfrom said passages after the heads of such tacks have been capped, as will be hereinafter described.

h is a spring foot of theclearers at the proper time, is made to throw or lift up the same with apercussive force, and thus to expel the tack which may be in each of the dies as they in turn pass-to the said spring by the rotation of the frame A which carries them, this spring h, for the above purpose, being operated by means of fixed studs 2, projecting from the underside of the lower plate of the frame A at suitable points of the same, which studs, as the said frame rotates, in turn depress the said spring as they pass over it. Then 'leaving it, the spring flies up suddenly, striking the lower end or proper position for it, with great force, and by it driving out the tack in the passsge f of fastened to the bed-plate of the frame 13, which, by being snapped against the foot of the clearer of the die, then in such die, as is obvious without any further vious to the depression of theplunger' of such I explanation, the clearer dropping by its own dies by the action of the cam G, is supplied weight back to its original position within the with a tack by inserting its shank in the cendie, and thus in readiness for being again opter passage of such diewith the tack-head up, erated upon by the said spring when it again and with one of the metallic disks or pieces comes to the same, by continuing the rotation of the shape hereinabove specified, which latof the frame A. ter is laid upon and over the tack-head, when, Directly over each die O is a plunger, D, the plunger of such die being depressed by formed, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, with the action of the'cam G upon it as it passes the lower end or foot of each plunger concaved under the same, it is brought down and upon or hollowed out corresponding to the concavthe said metallic cap, compressing, contractity of the dies, as shown at 70. The concavity ing, and bending its edges underneath the of the end of each of the plungers D is surtack-head, and thus firmly and securely fastrounded by an annular surface orrim, Z,which ening it to the said head, as is obvious, each I prefer to make rounded in shape and of such tack, after being capped, as above explained, awidth as to preventthe plungersfrom break being thrown out of the die in which it was ing away at or around the circumference or placed for being so capped by means of the the edge of their respective cavities, as they clearer 9, arranged and operating as hereinare brought down and upon the dies, as will before particularly described. be presently explained, the concavities of the By making the plungers and dies of a condies also being protected byarim around them cave shape at their ends, which come tosimilar to that of the plungers. These plungether, asxabove explained, and with a progers D are arranged in the two upper plates tecting rim or edge around such concavities, of the frame A, extending in vertical planes not only are the dies and plungers prevented from one to the other, and, as before stated, from becoming broken at their edges, but a directly over the dies inthe plate below, each more perfect fitting of the caps to the tackplunger being arranged so as to move up and heads is secured, as by the concave shape of down in a vertical plane, and being held elethe plungers as they come to bear against and vated and being raised, when depressed, by upon the metallic caps such caps are made means of a spiral spring, E, coiled about each thereby to roll or come to their proper posiof the same, and resting by its lower ends tion upon the tack-head, if by accident or careupon the center plate of the frame A, with a lessness they should be placed a little to one i collar or ring, F, secured to each of the plunside upon the dies by the operator or attendgers, bearing against and upon their upper ant of the machinean advantage of considends, these collars or rings being attached by erable importance to the perfect capping of set-screws, so as to be susceptible of adjusttacks, &c'., and one which has never before ment upon the plungers, and also for being a been secured. limit to the upward movement of the plungers Although I have herein described my imby coming to a stop or rest against the upper proved machine more particularly in connecpart of the plate, as is apparent without any tion with the capping of the heads of tack, it further explanation. is obvious that it is as well applicable to nails,

G is a cam projecting downward from the screw-heads, and other articles, and therefore neck of the frame A, and inand directly over I do not intend to limit myself to the capping the path of movement of the heads of the vaof any one particular or special article, the rious plungers, which cam is of such a shape. invention consisting in the machine for acat its lower end that 'as each plunger in turn complishing the result stated, and not to any passes by and under the same it will cause particular article which may be capped in or such. plunger to be depressed sufiiciently to by it. bring its lower or concave end down and upon I claim as new and desire to secure by Letthe upper concave end of the die correspondters Patent ing in position to such plunger. 7 1. The rotating frame A, having movable In the operation of the machine hereinplungers D, provided with spiral or other above described, the frame A is to be put'in suitable springs, and stationary dies 0, in i revolution at a speed which will allow its sevcombination with one or more stationary cams,

- eral dies to be supplied with tacks and caps G, when all arranged'together so as to operate for the same as they pass in turn around, the substantially as and for the purpose described. cap for each tack consisting of a piece or disk 2. The combination, with the dies 0, of the of soft or other suitable metal or material clearers or dischargers g, stud .i, and spring h, made of a cup shape, and of a size sufficient substantially asand for the purpose specified. to embrace the head and edges of such head JOHN (J. RHODES. of the tack which it is intended to cap with it. Witnesses:

In the running of my machine, each of the ALBERT Davis, dies as they in turn pass around, and pre- M. A. DYER. 

